Clip construction



Nov. 19, 1963 J, DEKEL 3,111,130

' CLIP CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 19, 1961 IS a;

INVENTOR.

28 JO5EPH DLKEJ. la BY amzaflw Fl (5. 6 p 30 4 United States Patent3,111,130 CLW CONSTRUCTION Joseph Dekel, 491 E. 32nd St, Chicago 16,Ill. Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,152 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) Thisinvention relates to a clip design which, for example, has as one of itsmost important applications the holding of pin curls in place while thehair is setting. Pin curls comprise small, round, fiat curls which maybe wound either clockwise or counterclockwise and positioned close tothe scalp. It is important that the pin curls be maintained in positionduring setting and drying, and hair clips have been designed for suchpurposes.

Many designs of hair clips are available, but the prior clips have beenunsatisfactory for the reason that they have been expensive and undulysusceptible to deformation, the latter factor greatly decreasing theuseful life thereof.

A further disadvantage of most of the presently available clips residesin the fact that they are generally composed of two or more parts whichare not readily assembled. The present multi-piece clips are moreexpensive than a single piece construction and are also more susceptibleto breakage during use.

Existing clip designs are also deficient in that pressure is required tospread apart the jaws thereof and the jaws must be held in this manneruntil the clip is put in place. In the case of a beauty operator, whomust handle numerous clips, this can become an extremely tediousoperation.

There has not been devised heretofore a simple hair clip constructionwhich can employ relatively inexpensive and readily fabricatedmaterials. On the other hand, it has been the experience of the priorart that hair clip materials must be selected from spring steel or othersimilar materials which are difficult to fabricate.

In a companion case of the applicant, entitled Clip Construction. SerialNo. 139,151, filed September 19, 1961, there is described a hair clipwhich is composed of a plurality of easily fabricated and assembledparts. The hair clip described in this application has been found toovercome many of the above noted deficiencies, This invention has forone of its objects the manufacture of a clip which may, if desired, bemade of a single piece construction.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a clip which ischaracterized by extreme ease of use in that it is capable of retainingits jaws spread apart without the application of pressure.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a clipconstruction which can be manufactured from inexpensive and readilyfabricated materials.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter andfor purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specificembodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a hair clip characterized by thefeatures of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of an alternative hair clip design which ismanufactured from plastic material;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of an additional alternative design;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a hair clip construction;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a hair clip construction having analternative design;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a hair clip as it appears in the openposition; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a blank employed in the formation of theinventive clips.

The clips of this invention are most preferably made of a single piececonstruction which comprises upper and lower jaws adapted to resilientlyengage each other where- 3,111,139 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 by the work tobe engaged can be clamped therebetween. The upper jaw of the clippreferably includes a pair of arms extending laterally to a central foldin the construction. A jaw urging member is formed preferably in theupper jaw between the extending arms. The jaw urging member extends fromthe end of the upper jaw and most advantageously terminates in a fingeractuated tongue portion. A raised portion is formed in the lower jaw andthe jaw positioning member is adapted to be secured to this raisedportion.

In the specific design of the clips of this invention, the jaw urgingmember has a length between the point where it extends from the end ofthe upper jaw and it is to connect with the raised portion of the lowerjaw which is greater than the actual distance between these points sothat the jaw urging member is placed under an initial compression whenit is anchored to the lower jaw. This design of the jaw urging memberprovides for the directing of force along the length of this memberwhereby the jaws of the clip are urged into engagement in one positionand whereby the jaws are urged apart when disposed in another position.In one form of the invention, the actuating tongue is provided in theconstruction for forcing the jaws apart beyond the neutral point, andthe jaw urging member will then take over to hold the clips in the openposition. Application of pressure to the spread apart jaws will resultin passing of the neutral point whereby the jaws will be clamped tightlytogether due to the urging of the jaw urging member.

Various hair clip constructions which embody the aforementionedcharacteristics are shown in the accompanying drawings. The illustratedclips generally comprise upper and lower jaws ill and 12 which areformed by :foldir over a single piece hair clip blank at 14. The arms 16extend along the upper jaw to the fold 14 and a jaw urging member 1%extends between the arms. This member 18 is formed to extend from thepoint 25 on the upper jaw 1i) and it includes at the distal end thereofan actuating tongue 22.

Connecting means are provided for securing the upper and lower jaws at afulcrum point. These connecting means may comprise a tab 26 formed onthe raised portion 28 of the lower jaw 12. The tab 25 is desi ned toextend into an opening 30 formed in the member 1%.

The jaw urging member 18 is dimensioned whereby its length is at leastequal to, and is preferably slightly greater than, the distance from thepoint 219 to the juncture with tab 26. Thus, when the clip is made readyfor use, the opening 3% will be pressed over the tab 26 and the leadingedge 32 of the opening will be pressed against the tab thus transmittingforce through the means 18 in the direction of the arrow 34 (ElGURE 3).

It will be apparent that when the actuating tongue 22 is pressed thejaws 1t and 12 will spread apart in opposition to the urging of means18. Eventually the means 18 will be disposed on the under side of arms16 and will then urge the upper jaw into an open position as shown inFIGURE 6. To clamp the jaws, pressure is simply exerted on the ends ofthe jaws 1i) and 12 until the aforementioned neutral point is reached,at which time the urging of the means 18 will hold the jaws in closedposition.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein the clipsare manufactured from plastic materials. The 'construction provides athin section $0 for the clip at the central fold whereby the clip can berepeatedly bent without failure at this joint. Narrow hinge portions ofthe design disclosed are commonly employed where materials such aspolypropylene, nylon, delryn, high impact styrene, Teflon, polyethylene,vinyl, etc., are used in the manufacture of articles, and these andsimilar materials are contemplated for use in connection with thedisclosed clips.

The lower jaw 12 is preferably crimped whereby the portion 28 thereofwill be raised above the arms 16 when the jaws are engaged. Thisconstruction insures the hold of the jaws in a clamped position,particularly where a relatively thick pin curl is held between the jaws.Furthermore, it is preferable that the length of the positioning means18 be slightly greater than the distance between the point 20 and tab26, since this design will provide the maximum clamping force for theclip jaws;

The clips of this invention are characterized by a clamp ing force whichis far superior to that obtained in prior devices. There is no problemwith regard to release of the clips from a curl due to insufiicientclamping, and the positive action of the positioning means 18 is notdiminished even after extended use. Furthermore, the ability of theclips to remain open prior to clamping is important, since there is noneed to exert finger pressure while holding the clips. The design wouldpermit a beauty operator to open several clips prior to commencing aparticular hairdo, and the clips will thus be ready for instant use,saving time and energy.

In constructing the clips of this invention softer, less expensivematerials can be employed, since the positive action of the positioningmeans 18 does not depend on the strength or spring temper of thematerials used. Furthermore, die wear can be materially reduced andmetal clips do not have to be heat treated, these factors bothcontributing to an inexpensive item. It has been found that steel clipsheat treated to a hardness between 35 and 45 Rockwell C are suitable,even though metal with this hardness is not generally considered aspring steel. It will, of course, be apparent that the use of softer orharder materials is contemplated.

Obviously, the fact that the clip shown in the drawings is formed of asingle piece is an advantage since the blanks therefore, such as shownin FIGURE 7, can be formed in a single die stroke or in a single moldingop eration. In the case where a single piece molded plastic constructionis utilized, an additional advantage is apparent, since the plasticclips offer greater resistance to certain of the chemicals employed inhair dressing fluids. Additional design variations are suggested withregard to the connecting means employed. Thus, a plurality of theupstanding tabs could be utilized, e.-g., by providing a tab on eitherside of the crimp in arm 18 and providing recesses in the arm forreceipt of the tabs. Any other connecting means which will provide fortransmitting the force in arm 18 is, of course, contemplated.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in theabove disclosed clip construction which provide the characteristics ofthis invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularlyas defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A clip having an upper and a lower jaw with work engaging portions atone of the ends thereof and handle forming portions at the other endsthereof, said jaws having a pivot point between the ends thereof forpivoting the jaws relative to one another to enable the work engagingportions to be separated by force applied to the handle forming portionsthereat, one of said jaws having a resilient jaw urging member extendingfrom a point adjacent the work engaging end thereof toward the oppositeend thereof and being unconnected with said one jaw for the remainder ofthe length thereof and the other jaw having a connecting means for saidjaw urging member, said jaw urging member engaging with said connectingmeans to place the jaw urging member under initial compression whichapplies a jaw closing force along the jaw urging member toward the baseend thereof to urge the work engaging end of said one jaw toward thework engaging end of the other jaw, force applied to said handleformingportions of the clip urging the work engaging portions of the clip apartagainst the restraining force of said jaw urging member.

2. The clip of claim 1 wherein said jaw urging memher is provided withan outwardly extending finger engaging portion at the distal end thereofwhich provides a finger pressing handle for the clip which separates thework engaging ends of the jaws when compressed.

3. The clip of claim 1 wherein the entire clip is made of a single piecemolded blank of synthetic plastic material having two jaw-formingsections connected at a hinge joint at the handle forming ends thereof,the two jawform-ing sections being folded at said joint into confrontingrelation, said jaw urging member being struck from one of thejaw-forming sections and including means which snaps into engagementwith said connecting means.

4. A clip having an upper and a lower jaw with work' engaging portionsat one of the ends thereof and handle-v forming portions at the otherends thereof, said jaws having a pivot point between the ends thereoffor pivoting the jaws relative to one another to enable the workengaging portions to be separated by force applied to the handle formingport-ions thereat, one of said jaws having a resilient jaw urging memberextendingfrom a point adjacent the work engaging end thereof toward theopposite end thereof and the other jaw having a connecting meansengaging with said jaw urging'member, the distance between the point ofconnection of said jaw urg ing member with the work engaging end of saidone jaw and its point of connection with said connecting means beinggreater than the distance between said point of connection and saidconnecting means prior to their engagement, whereby the jaw urgingmember is placed under initial compression which bows the same outwardlywhen connected with said connecting means, said compression applying ajaw closing force along the jaw urging member toward the base endthereof to urge the work engaging end of said one jaw toward the workengaging end of the other jaw, said other jaw having a fulcrum-formingbend therein, said connecting means being positioned on the outer sideof the bend in the latter jaw, the bend in the jaw extending through anopening in said one jaw where it connects with said jaw urging memberthrough said connecting means to form the pivot point for the clip,force applied to said handle-forming portions of the clip urging thework engaging portions of the clip apart against the restraining forceof said jaw urging member.

5. The clip of claim 4 wherein the point of connection of said jawurging member with said connecting means is depressible through saidopening to a point where the jaw urging member is bowed inwardly to holdthe clip in an open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,417,335 Westby 'Mar. 11, 1947 2,833,292 Wirsing May 6, 1958 2,838,055Kertesz June 10, 1958 2,849,008 Otten Aug. 26, 1958 3,030,970 Gold Apr.24, 1962 FORElGN PATENTS 562,894 Canada Sept. 9, 1958

1. A CLIP HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER JAW WITH WORK ENGAGING PORTIONS ATONE OF THE ENDS THEREOF AND HANDLE FORMING PORTIONS AT THE OTHER ENDSTHEREOF, SAID JAWS HAVING A PIVOT POINT BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF FORPIVOTING THE JAWS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO ENABLE THE WORK ENGAGINGPORTIONS TO BE SEPARATED BY FORCE APPLIED TO THE HANDLE FORMING PORTIONSTHEREAT, ONE OF SAID JAWS HAVING A RESILIENT JAW URGING MEMBER EXTENDINGFROM A POINT ADJACENT THE WORK ENGAGING END THEREOF TOWARD THE OPPOSITEEND THEREOF AND BEING UNCONNECTED WITH SAID ONE JAW FOR THE REMAINDER OFTHE LENGTH THEREOF AND THE OTHER JAW HAVING A CONNECTING MEANS FOR SAIDJAW URGING MEMBER, SAID JAW URGING MEMBER ENGAGING WITH SAID CONNECTINGMEANS TO PLACE THE JAW URGING MEMBER UNDER INITIAL COMPRESSION WHICHAPPLIES A JAW CLOSING FORCE ALONG THE JAW URGING MEMBER TOWARD THE BASEEND THEREOF TO URGE THE WORK ENGAGING END OF SAID ONE JAW TOWARD THEWORK ENGAGING END OF THE OTHER JAW, FORCE APPLIED TO SAID HANDLEFORMINGPORTIONS OF THE CLIP URGING THE WORK ENGAGING PORTIONS OF THE CLIP APARTAGAINST THE RESTRAINING FORCE OF SAID JAW URGING MEMBER.